Volcano seismology is an important technique in volcano monitoring,and it is also the most effective method to predict volcanic eruptions. This paper reviews the history of volcanic earthquake monitoring,analyzes and summarizes the types and characteristics of volcanic earthquakes,and introduces the mechanism of various earthquakes. Then,the volcanic seismological methods developed in recent years are briefly introduced,such as seismic activity analysis,real-time amplitude ratio measurement,seismic wave velocity variation and repeated earthquakes,in which some practical application examples are demonstrated. Finally,the application of volcanic seismology in active volcano monitoring of China is introduced.